scientists have discovered complex organic chemical structures beneath the icy crust of enceladus, one of saturn's moons. fresh samples taken from the ice geysers have sparked speculation about the possibility of extraterrestrial life.
enceladus is known for its powerful geysers that eject water and ice particles up to 9,600 kilometers into space. these eruptions originate from a subsurface ocean about 50 kilometers deep. previous data suggested the presence of organic matter in saturn's e ring, where material from enceladus falls.
however, the new study is based on direct samples of the jets themselves, taken during a flyby of the cassini probe. scientists emphasize that these particles are very young and therefore unlikely to have been affected by processes such as cosmic rays.
the detected organic compounds are fresh and intact, meaning they have undergone minimal changes during their journey from the ocean through the icy crust. this raises the possibility that enceladus' ocean could indeed be rich in chemicals capable of sustaining life.
